


Before You Start Your Day

by corgasbord



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair, Domestic, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-12-02 14:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11510868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corgasbord/pseuds/corgasbord
Summary: Every morning, Kaito rises with the sun to make Shuuichi’s coffee. It’s a simple gesture, yet it’s a constant of all the mornings they spend together, and Kaito’s starting to think that he’s been taking it for granted.





	Before You Start Your Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KomaruNaegi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KomaruNaegi/gifts).



> it's my pal meghan's birthday today, so i decided to write her a little domestic saimota to celebrate the occasion. it's kinda short, but i hope you like it anyway! happy birthday!

Kaito doesn’t like coffee. It possesses a scalding sort of bitterness, the kind that can’t be drowned out with any amount of milk and sugar, the kind that stays long after you drink it. If given the choice between that and tea, he’d always pick tea.

Still, he stands in front of the coffee maker at 7:30 AM sharp, brewing a pot of it because it’s what his boyfriend prefers to drink in the morning before he goes off to work. Shuuichi takes it the same way every time: black, with two rounded spoonfuls of sugar. No more, no less. Kaito likes to think he’s gotten good at it, having prepared the same brew in the same mug countless times before, but it’s not a difficult process. The greatest danger is mistaking the salt for sugar - which he’s done before, much to Shuuichi’s half-awake irritation.

Shuuichi shuffles into the kitchen while Kaito’s stirring the sugar into the coffee, as if on cue. He appears to have just rolled out of bed, hair mussed and pajamas rumpled, and Kaito can’t help but grin fondly. “Mornin’, Shuuichi,” he says cheerfully, handing over the piping hot mug with a kiss on the forehead for good measure.

“Mm. Morning,” Shuuichi returns, the beginnings of a smile forming on his own face as he accepts the offering.

“I made breakfast, too.” Kaito nods in the direction of the table, where he’s set two identical plates of eggs and toast.

“Thanks,” Shuuichi says, making his way over and settling into one of the chairs. His movements are still sluggish, weighed down by the remnants of sleep, but Kaito knows from experience that it will only be a matter of time before the caffeine perks him up. It’s all part of their routine, after all.

A couple of bites into his toast, Shuuichi breaks the silence. “Don’t you have work today, too?”

“Mhm,” Kaito affirms, shoveling a forkful of egg whites into his mouth. “I mean, I don’t have to be there ‘til noon, but… I’m not sure how late I’ll be back.”

“Ah.” Shuuichi takes another sip of his coffee, then stares into it with an unreadable expression. “I, uh… I take it things are going to get a little more rigorous from now on, to prepare for your trip.”

“Yeah, I gotta get a lot of extra hours of training in over the next few weeks. It’ll basically be what I’ve been doing for the past couple of years, but more of it. This is the final stretch, so I’ve gotta make sure I’m ready, y’know?” 

“Right.” Shuuichi’s fingers tap restlessly against ceramic. “I mean, you’re going to be up there for a long time, so… makes sense.”

“Ehh, six months ain’t _that_ long,” Kaito reasons, shrugging. “It’s not like it’s a whole year or anything. It’ll be over before we know it.”

“I guess.” A look of hesitation starts to form on his face, but he swallows it with another swig of coffee.

Kaito eyes Shuuichi carefully. “Hey.”

“Hm?” Shuuichi glances up as he nibbles halfheartedly at his toast, crumbs sticking to his own face. It would be endearing, were it not for the drop in the mood.

“You’re not still down about it, are ya? My flight, I mean.”

Shuuichi shakes his head, straining to smile. “You don’t need to worry about me- I’m happy for you, really. It’s just… going to feel weird for a while, having to make my own coffee.”

It’s a poorly conceived joke, but a joke nonetheless, and Kaito’s features break into another grin. “What, is that all I’m good for at this point?”

“Of course not. You usually make breakfast, too.”

Kaito barks out a laugh, clapping Shuuichi on the back once. “Wow. Well, if that’s the case, I’m sure you’ll manage just fine.”

“I will. Don’t worry about me.” Shuuichi looks back down at his plate. “I’ll miss you, of course, but… that’s to be expected, isn’t it?”

“Well, yeah. It’s not like I’m not gonna miss you, too,” Kaito says. “But you won’t be completely alone for that time. I mean, you’ve got work, and there are other people to hang out with, right? Plus, like I said… it’s gonna fly by.”

“Yeah. I hope so,” Shuuichi mumbles, expression faltering.

“Hey,” Kaito says again, “look at me.”

Shuuichi does so, eyebrows raised, and Kaito reaches to cup his chin and lean in for a kiss, disregarding the toast crumbs and the taste of coffee still present on Shuuichi’s lips. When he pulls away, grazing Shuuichi's cheek with his thumb, Shuuichi can only give him a stunned look in return.

“I don't want you to get sad from now on whenever you think of me and remember stuff like this. I want you to think of it as motivation to stay strong and hold down the fort ‘til I get back,” Kaito says, tone softening. “Besides, didn't I tell you already that I want you to see me off with a smile?”

Shuuichi nods and answers in a whisper, “Yeah.”

“Right. ‘Cause happy is how I wanna remember you… and it's how I want to see you when I get back, too.”

“Well, I don't think the last part will be too difficult,” Shuuichi chuckles.

“I would sure as hell hope not,” Kaito snorts. His eyes fall to Shuuichi’s slim fingers, and he moves to take one of his hands and lace them between his own, marveling at how perfectly they fit together. Like they were made for each other, even, or something equally sentimental. “And hey,” he continues, “when I do get back, maybe I can take you somewhere fun, or do something nice for you… just to, I dunno, make up for all the coffee I'm not making for you.”

Shuuichi actually laughs at that, light and pitchy, and Kaito thinks he could live off of nothing but that sound for the rest of his life. “That's not something you owe me for… Besides, aren't you getting a bit ahead of yourself?”

“Maybe a little. But the same could be said for you, y’know- I'm not leaving just yet, so there's no reason for you to mope around and let it get to ya in the meantime, is there?”

“No,” Shuuichi concedes with a deep breath, “I suppose there isn't.”

“Well then, that's that.” Squeezing Shuuichi’s hand one more time, Kaito finally draws away from him entirely. “Focus on enjoying the now- that'll make it easier on both of us.”

“You're right… Um. Sorry to bring down the mood.”

“Don't apologize. You didn't bring down my mood or anything, anyway,” Kaito insists, cramming the rest of his egg into his mouth with only a little difficulty.

“Ah… if you say so.” Then he peers at Kaito over the rim of his mug, eyebrows raised. “Shouldn't you slow down? You don't have anywhere to be yet.”

Kaito stops, wiping away the yolk dripping down his chin, and with his mouth still full he says, “Force of habit.”

“One of these days you're going to choke,” Shuuichi chides him, shaking his head. “And, I mean… we don't always get the chance to actually sit and eat together in the morning, so I was thinking that maybe we could just take a few extra minutes to relax and enjoy it.”

_Oh. So that's how it is._ Of course Shuuichi would want to spend every available minute with him, now more than ever. So Kaito swallows, then nods his understanding. “Yeah, I get you. My bad.” Impulsively, he cranes his neck to give Shuuichi another kiss. It lands more on his cheek than his mouth, but it's worth it to see the shy smile that forms on Shuuichi's face when he pulls away, and the way he tries to hide it by drinking more of his coffee.

And when they finally do finish, Kaito gathers their dirty dishes, and as Shuuichi leaves the room he casually mentions over his shoulder that he has _plenty_ of time left to take a shower. That takes a bit longer for Kaito to understand, but his face gets hot with realization a minute after Shuuichi's disappearance, and he's quick to abandon the dishes in favor of pursuit. 

Time is money, after all, and never wasted when he spends it with Shuuichi.


End file.
